Gibbs Knows Best
by celtickat
Summary: A short piece on what happens when Abby wants to do something that Gibbs disagrees with.  How far will she go to get what she wants?  Established GABBY. Might get a bit angsty.
1. Chapter 1

GIBBS KNOWS BEST

McGee hovered outside the lab, afraid to go in, Gibbs was in there yelling, not just yelling but yelling AT Abby, and that just didn't happen.

"WE HAVE HAD THE ARGUMENT ALREADY TODAY, AND I WILL NOT GO THROUGH IT AGAIN"

"GIBBS! IT'S NOT FAIR!" Abby was yelling just as loudly back

"I NEVER SAID IT WAS"

Gibbs pushed past McGee just as he summoned the courage to go in.

He rushed over to Abby "Abby? Are you ok? What was that about?"

Abby started marching around the lab waving her arms in the air. "Gibbs!, thinks he knows best!"

"Uh, he usually is Abs"

"MCGEE! That is NOT the point"

"What is he not letting you do?"

"This" Abby thrust a sheet of paper in front of McGee

McGee took the paper and read quickly, "I'm not surprised he said no"

"It says it's open to ALL employees, that means me too"

"Did you talk to the director?"

Abby scowled "He said I can go if Gibbs signed it off, which is just wrong because Gibbs isn't even my boss"

McGee gave Abby a sideways look but said nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

It took less than an hour for Gibbs to start feeling bad about yelling at Abby, but events conspired to keep him away from the lab, when he did finally mange to get down it was late and Abby had already left.

This put Gibbs in an even bleaker mood. He drove home quickly and aggressively. His mood lifting when he pulled in to his driveway and spotted Abby sitting on his porch steps.

"Doors unlocked"

"I know"

"Then why are you sitting out here?"

Abby shrugged.

Gibbs went up the steps, pausing to run his hand softly down her cheek. She stood up and followed him.

As soon as they were inside Gibbs took her in his arms "I shouldn't have yelled at you"

Abby snuggled into him a little bit more "Does that mean you'll let me go "

"Nope"

Abby pushed him away, anger flashing in her eyes. "You just don't think I'm good enough or strong enough or tough enough; not like your team of precious agents!"

Gibbs fought to control his temper, taking several deep breaths before he spoke "Abby, it's late, can we at least eat before we do this again?"

In response Abby ran up the stairs and slammed their bedroom door.

Gibbs stood and took another couple of deep breaths before going into the kitchen to fix something to eat.

He made enough for two but Abby didn't re-appear, after he cleared up he went down to the basement. He didn't lift any of his tools, instead he sat and thought about how he could fix this situation without backing down, because was the one thing he absolutely would not do.

After a couple of hours of thinking and coming up blank he gave up. He went up into the house, giving serious consideration to spending the night on the sofa. Deciding that it would only make things worse, he carried on up the stairs.

He went in to the darkened room as quietly as possible, as he got into bed he could Abby wasn't sleeping.

"Abs, come on, this is stupid"

"Oh, so now I'm stupid as well as being weak?"

Biting back a cutting reply Gibbs ground his teeth, turned his back on Abby and went to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

The next morning, over a frosty and tense breakfast Gibbs tried to break the ice.

"Do you really want to go on this course, or is it just because I said no?"

Abby glared at him and leaving her breakfast half eaten, stood up "you always think you know what's best, well news flash! Sometimes you're wrong"

"Not on this one Abby"

Abby left the house, slamming every door she went through.

Gibbs were barely out of the elevator when his cell rang "Grab your gear"

The team jumped and headed out.

Hours later they returned with mountains of evidence, the crime scene had multiple victims, no witnesses and no murder weapon.

After giving Abby an hour to catalogue the evidence, Gibbs went down to the lab to help her prioritise it.

Their professionalism kicked in and they got straight down to business, their fight temporarily forgotten.

The team worked through the night, Gibbs sending McGee down to the lab to help Abby.

By the end of day 2, the team were flagging, keeping going only through the power of caffeine. Gibbs called a halt and ordered everyone home to get some sleep.

Gibbs and Abby went home in silence, Gibbs concentrating on the road, Abby too drowsy to make any attempt at conversation. When they got home, they tumbled into bed, too exhausted to do anything other than fall asleep in each others arms.

The next morning, however the frostiness was back. They didn't speak at all over a hurried breakfast or on the drive into the office.

This time, Gibbs was content to let the silence stretch, his focus on the case.

It took another 4 days of long hours and little sleep before the team caught a break and another 2 before they brought in their criminal. In all that time Gibbs and Abby hadn't said a word to each other that wasn't directly related to the case.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Abby left early, knowing Gibbs would be in the office for another few hours at least, looking over and signing off the reports.

She was down to 2 things to try and get on this course. She really didn't want to use the last one, so she was pinning her hopes on the one she would put into action that night.

Gibbs was expecting to come home to a fight, now that the case was over there was nothing to distract them for picking up where they had left off, but what he got was a very hot looking Abby, who walked seductively towards him, making his pulse race.

He stopped her, their lips no more than an inch apart "Is this make up sex or are you using the art of seduction to get me to change my mind?" his voice was husky.

Abby fleeting thought about lying then said simply "Will it work?"

"Nope, but I'm happy for you to try" Gibbs couldn't hide the trace of amusement that crept into his voice.

Abby turned away and run upstairs.

Gibbs flopped down on the sofa, trying to bring his pulse back to a normal level, at least she had stopped slamming doors he thought.

Abby re-appeared a few minutes later wearing an old set of sweats. Although no longer trying to arouse him, Gibbs wanted her more than ever.

She stood on front of him with her arms crossed "Why?"

"Abs, you want to be tied up and interrogated? I can do that for you right here"

"That's not the same!"

"I can't protect you on that damn course!"

"I don't need protecting!"

It hadn't taken long for them start yelling again.

Gibbs took a deep breath "I refuse to fight about this, I'm going to the basement" he walked out.

Abby threw herself onto the seat Gibbs had just vacated. She was down to her final option either give up or forge his signature on the release form.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Having made her decision, Abby relaxed. She waited an hour then took some coffee down to the basement.

"Thought you might want this" She said putting the coffee down.

"Bribery won't work either"

"I know, I also came to tell you that you win"

"It's not a competition Abs"

Abby fidgeted, unsure what to say.

He tried to hide a small smile and moved towards her, taking her into his arms.

"Can we just forget the whole thing?"

Gibbs answered by kissing her forehead and holding her tighter.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

The next week passed by in a haze of normality. The course wasn't mentioned again by either Abby or Gibbs.

The following weekend, the weekend before the course was due to start, Gibbs expected Abby to be at least at little sulky, but she was sweetness and light.

Late Sunday night, Abby ran down to the basement in a panic "Gibbs! I have to run into the office, can you drive me, you drive way faster than I do"

"What have you got that can't wait a few hours till tomorrow"

Abby went off on a scientific explanation that had Gibbs lost after the first few words.

He held up his hand to stop her "Ok, let's go"

They got to the office quickly, a combination of Gibbs driving and no traffic.

"Wait here, I'll be right back"

Gibbs nodded "Go"

Abby ran into the lab, she lifted the release form for the course and without hesitation signed Gibbs name. She ran up to the directors office and hesitated, she reviewed her logic, She would go on the course, ace it and come back, sure Gibbs and the director would be mad at first then they would realise that they were wrong not to let her go in the first place.

She slipped the paper in the middle of a stack sitting on Cynthia's desk and ran back to Gibbs.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Monday morning Gibbs woke up alone, "Abby?" he called.

The answering silence told him she had already left. He smiled. That girl could be as obsessed as him at times.

He stopped to collect some breakfast for Abby, she always forgot to eat when she was obsessing about science.

He got quite a shock when he went into the lab to find a stranger booting up the machinery.

"Abby know you're here?" Gibbs was suspicious and was slowly reaching for his gun.

"You must be Special Agent Gibbs! Hi, I'm Lewis, Abby called me in to cover for her this week while she's on that course, man, I've never seen her so excited about something non-scientific!"

Gibbs face showed his fury as he turned from Lewis and sprinted up the stairs and straight into the directors office "You let her go on that damned course, Leon?"

"You signed the release, Jethro"

"The hell I did!"

Vance showed him the signed release form. Gibbs scrutinised the signature, his expression growing darker.

"She comes back form this thing alive, I'll kill her myself"


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Gibbs stormed down to the rest of the team.

"Uh boss? Who is that in Abby's lab?"

"Lewis, Abby's replacement"

"WHAT?" 3 voices shouted simultaneously

"Abby has gone on a week long Escape and Evasion course run by Naval Intelligence"

Ziva jumped to her feet "You let her go on that? Gibbs that is rigged, she will be ripped apart!"

"I know that Ziva, and I did not _let_ her go, where are you going?"

"To bring her back of course"

"Oh no, she risked her job to go on this, I tried to stop her, she's on her own"

Ziva turned to Tony and McGee "Are you coming?"

The boys stood up "SIT DOWN" Gibbs yelled. They both sat back down.

"then I will go and get her on my own" Ziva started towards the elevator

"DAVID, SIT DOWN, THAT IS AN ORDER"

"Screw your orders, she is my friend and I will not let this happen"

Ziva bypassed the elevator and took the stairs.

Gibbs glared at the boys for a few seconds.

"McGee, when Ziva calls you.."

"I'll let you know"

"No McGee, you tell her what she needs to know"

The call to McGee didn't take long.

"McGee, I need to know where the course is taking place"

"Ok, checking now" Ziva could hear keys being tapped "national forest, way you drive, you'll be there in about 2 hours, uploading the co-ordinates to your GPS now"

Ziva hung up, put the car in drive and took off.

Ziva arrived at the forest in the 2 hours the McGee had estimated. She parked up as close to the course base as she dared then went the rest of the way on foot.

She saw several sentries, but avoided them easily, their focus was in people trying to get out, not people coming in.

Night was falling before she found the building the searchers would bring their captives back to, she found a place to watch and settled down.

It took hours for any sort of activity to start at the building, and yet more hours before the first captives were brought in.

Ziva waited until the activity had quietened down before slowly making her toward the rear of the building.

She circled it, drawing a mental map and marking where the sentries were. She couldn't see any captives, but as she seen them bringing brought in she figured they were being held underground. This would make things difficult but not impossible.

Ziva went back to her observation post, aware that every minute she spent planning was a minute she wasn't getting Abby out of there.

Deciding on a plan she moved.

Swaggering into the building she ignored the rifles pointed at her and speaking to all of the men present, demanded to be taken to the prisoners.

"Who the hell are you?" someone, obviously an officer asked her aggressively

"You are in charge yes?"

The man nodded

"Then take me to the prisoners, the sooner I get started the quicker this will be over"

"I did not ask for a Mossad interrogator"

"That is not my problem, someone wanted me here, if not you then your superiors, now where are the captives?"

The man gestured to another, "take her down, I'll make a call"

Ziva was led down a flight of solid concrete steps into a dark and dank basement.

"I will take it from here, go back to your boss"

The man left with a confused look on his face.

Ziva wasted no time in locating Abby, she was alone in a cell, bound to a chair, a heavy hood over her head.

"Abby, it's Ziva, I'm going to get you out of here"

She untied her quickly and removed the hood. Abby was paler than she had ever seen her before, she was shaking and had obviously been crying.

Abby threw her arms round Ziva. Ziva pulled away "Abby we do not have time, we have to get out of here before they find out I'm not who they think I am"

Abby nodded and they made for the door.

Going back up the stairs, Ziva pulled her further into the building rather than attempting to go out the way she had come in.

She found an unlocked room with a window towards the rear of the building. She was about to open the window when she heard muffled shouting and running feet. Abby cowered in the corner, Ziva pulled her hand gun and assumed a shooting stance, it was a false alarm, it appeared it was only more captives being brought in. They had to move quickly now though, it would only be a matter of minutes before Abby was discovered missing.

They got the window open and were out the building before the alarm was raised.

Ziva knew Abby was close to falling apart, but she knew that she had to be harsh to get them both out of the area.

She kept pushing her to move faster until she was sure they could stop in safety. She allowed them 5 minutes for Abby to catch her breath. She also made Abby take off the bright orange jumpsuit she had been wearing.

"Abby, it has a GPS locator inside it, I have clothes for you in the car, if you don't take it off, they will catch us we will have more to worry about than Gibbs"

Abby quickly stripped off and they started moving again this time slowly and carefully.

The sun was coming up when they finally reached the car. Ziva got Abby dressed in some warm clothes then took off like the devil himself was on her heels.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Ziva took Abby back to her place and got her settled. She didn't have time to do more than shower and change before she had to leave for the office.

"Ziva? How mad is he?"

"At you or me?"

Abby looked the picture of misery as Ziva left the apartment.

The elevator 'dinged' and Gibbs looked up, when he saw it was Ziva he yelled across the room "YOU STAY RIGHT THERE"

He ran across to the elevator, flicking the emergency switch as soon as the doors closed.

Gibbs got right in Ziva's face. "If you ever disobey a direct order like that again, I'll make you wish you were still in Somalia"

Ziva smiled as Gibbs stepped back, his words may have been harsh but his tone and his eyes told a different story "You are welcome"

"She ok?"

"It is too early to tell, we only got back an hour ago"

Gibbs noticed for the first time, how tired Ziva looked "Then why are you here?"

"I felt I should come in and sing the music"

"Face the music, face not sing, Ziva. Go home, I'll call you if we get a case"

Gibbs re-activated the elevator, as the doors opened she called

"What do I tell Abby?"

"Nothing she doesn't already know"

Back at Ziva's place, several hours later…

The two girls sat in silence, both pondering Gibbs cryptic message. When there was a knock on the front door, Abby panicked

"Ziva, I can't face him, not yet"

"Abby, it may not be Gibbs"

The door knocked again then McGee voice could be heard "Open up Ziva, Abby, Gibbs isn't with us"

Abby visibly relaxed and Ziva opened the door, McGee, Tony and Ducky all filed into the room.

"Are you ok?" "Did they hurt you?" "do we have to kill anyone?" everyone was talking at once.

"ENOUGH!" Ziva took control, "Ducky, can you check her over? You two can help me make tea"

"Tea?"

"Tony, just go into the kitchen"

When Ducky and Abby were alone, he checked her over thoroughly.

"Ducky, how mad is he?"

"Let's just say neither Gibbs or the director are your biggest fans right now"

"What do I do Ducky?"

To that one my dear, I'm afraid I don't have any answers"

Meanwhile in the kitchen…

"What did Gibbs do to you in the elevator? Kind of surprised you didn't come back with him"

"It does not matter, what matters is Abby"

"Yeah, I think Abby's pushed him just a bit too far this time"

"Tony, all she did was do something he didn't want her to do, it is not that bad, we do it all the time"

"Oh no Ziva, you missed the juicy part, our little miss innocent out there…forged the bosses signature"

"Tony's right, Ziva, the director wants to fire her, and I'm sure Gibbs is in any mood to stop him"

Later….

Gibbs was in the kitchen waiting, when he heard his front door open he called out "In the kitchen Ducky, even made tea"

"You were expecting me?"

Gibbs just gave him a lopsided smile. "how is she?"

"Physically, fine, Ziva got to her before they had a chance to do anything other than shake her up, mentally… she's scared"

"Not a lot I can do about that Duck"

"It's you she's scared of Jethro"

"It's too early to play the guilt card Ducky, she brought this on herself"

Ducky sighed and drank his tea.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

A/N OK, this is turning into something way bigger than I had first anticipated. It was supposed to be 3 chapters of fluff, but it's taken on a life of its own, who am I to stop it?

The next morning, Ziva went into the office at her usual time surprised to find the director waiting for her.

"Director"

"Agent David, that was quite a stunt you pulled with the Naval intelligence boys"

"Ah"

Vance laughed, "He'll never tell you" indicating Gibbs empty desk "but he's proud of you, and so am I, hell those navy boys are still running around trying to figure out who you are" he laughed again then turned serious "David, make sure Miss Sciuto is in my office first thing on Monday morning"

Ziva nodded, she was beginning to understand just how much trouble Abby was in.

Later that morning, the team caught a case, Ziva found herself alone with Gibbs driving to the crime scene.

"You are not going to let the director fire Abby"

Gibbs wasn't sure it was a question, but he decided to answer it anyway

"Why should I stop him?"

"Because it is Abby!"

"That's not a reason Ziva"

They drove the rest of the way in silence.

Back at the office McGee lifted the box of evidence "I'll get this lot down to Abby, I mean, Lewis" It was the 5th time he had 'accidentally' mentioned Abby that day.

Gibbs was starting to lose patience, he understood the teams need to try and protect Abby, but he wasn't the bad guy in all this. He turned back to the elevators and went for coffee.

Friday morning.

Gibbs went down to autopsy, answering a summons from Ducky.

"What have you got for me Duck?"

"Oh, nothing related to the case, I just wondered if it was time to play that guilt card?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes "Not you too Ducky"

"Jethro, you know as well as I do that the only reason the director didn't fire her on the spot was to give you two time to patch things up"

Gibbs stared at him "_I _haven't done anything wrong here Ducky" he said softly.

"No, but you haven't done anything right either"

Gibbs shook his head and walked away.

Friday night.

"Ziva? Can you drive me over to Gibbs place?"

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

"No, but I have to"

"You want to go now?"

Abby nodded.

An hour or so later, they pulled up outside Gibbs place.

Abby sat in the passenger seat, pale, shaking and twisting her fingers together.

"You do not have to do this"

"I do, Ziva, as much as I want to ask you to turn round and go back…"

"Do you want me to wait?"

Abby shook her head "No, this could take a while"

"You call me anytime, and I will come here"

"I know Ziva, thank you" Abby leaned over and hugged Ziva before quickly jumping out of the car before she lost her nerve completely.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Abby paced around outside the house, working up the courage to go in, Gibbs watched her from an upstairs window. Resisting the urge to go out, he went down to the basement.

After 10 minutes of pacing Abby ran into the house. Another 10 minutes standing outside the basement door and she was as ready as she was ever going to be.

She eased open the door, and moved slowly down the stairs.

Gibbs waited until she had reached the bottom before he turned towards her.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"

Abby sat on the bottom step, trying to make herself as small as possible and said nothing.

Gibbs let the silence stretch "Come on Abby, normally I can't shut you up, and now I want answers you turn mute"

"I guess I'm trying to work out how to achieve Rule 18 without breaking Rule 6"

"Don't you think it's a little late to be worrying about breaking rules?"

Abby remained silent.

"You know the director is planning on firing you?"

Abby nodded.

"Give me one good reason why I should tell him not to"

"There aren't any, there aren't even any bad ones"

Gibbs took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling.

"Come here" Abby didn't move

"Abby, come over here"

She slowly stood up and came towards him, fear flickering across her face.

As she got closer to him, he could see she was shaking.

Gibbs brow furrowed with concern "You're shaking, Abs, what do you think I'm going to do to you?" His tone became softer

Abby looked him in the eye for the first time, the tears she been holding back spilled down her face.

"Abs" was all Gibbs muttered as he pulled her into him. He held her tightly and let her sob into his chest.

Abby made no effort to move away from him after she had stopped crying so Gibbs didn't relax his hold.

"Abby, if you ever pull something like this again…"

"I won't Gibbs, I promise"

Later that weekend…

"Gibbs? What was so wrong with that course that you were so against it and Ziva was so anxious to get me out of there, do you guys really think I'm that pathetic?"

Gibbs gave her a look

"I'm not trying to start another fight!"

Gibbs walked over and kissed her lightly, "I wouldn't let any of my people go that 'course', not even Ziva"

"But why? I mean the e-mail said…"

"I don't care what the e-mail said, it's rigged"

"Rigged how?"

"If you quit interrupting me, I'll tell you"

"The course is touted as Escape and Evasion, open to all employees. In reality, they put GPS locators on everyone's clothing, you are guaranteed to get caught. The course is actually set up for the Naval Intelligence boys to practice interrogation techniques. They round up everyone on the first night, then spend the rest of the week legally torturing them"

Abby blanched "Why didn't you just say that?"

"Didn't think I had to, I must have not got the memo that told me orders needed explanations"

"I've never been very good at the whole orders thing"

"I had noticed" Gibbs laughed.

Monday Morning - the directors office

"Miss Sciuto, do you have any explanation that will excuse your behaviour last week?"

"Uh, no Director"

"Any reason why I shouldn't fire you?"

"Uh, no director"

"And I don't suppose you know anything about the three threats of resignation and one death threat by means of a paperclip that will apparently materialise if I do fire you?"

Abby looked up sharply "uh, no Director"

Vance tried to avoid looking at Gibbs who was leaning against the back wall grinning.

"have you at least learnt anything through all this?"

"oh yeah, Gibbs knows best"

THE END


End file.
